Conclusion

This chapter reviews three confounding factors and alternative ways to explain events. It begins with analyzing Germany's experience during the First World War and their inept political and strategic decisions. The chapter also explores the author's assumption that the British, French, and German armies should have converged on a superior war-fighting doctrine that combined flexible assault tactics, integrated artillery–infantry operations, and elastic defenses in depth. Genius and individual leadership offer yet another tempting way to account for change. The chapter unfolds the story of wartime learning during the First World War. It introduces two shadow cases — the US Army in Vietnam (1965–1973) and Iraq (2003–2010) — so as to suggest that assessment, command, and training (ACT) theory can explain more than just learning on the Western Front. The chapter concludes by identifying important policy implications for contemporary defense strategists.